Hartford Foundation Grant To Fund New Urban-Oriented Job At Trinity

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February 01, 2014|Michele Jacklin, Trinity College, Hartford

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has awarded Trinity College a two-year, $200,000 grant to create the position of Director of Urban Educational Initiatives, which will allow the College to maximize its partnerships with K through 12 schools in Greater Hartford. The new director will be empowered to develop new partnerships, invigorating and strengthening educational opportunities for thousands of schoolchildren, and work toward the goal of improving educational outcomes and lowering barriers to college.

Trinity's many urban programs and activities will be coordinated by the new academic administrator, who will have faculty status and teach classes. An integral facet of the job will be to work directly with the Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy, an innovative early college model of public education that was established in 2011.

The Hartford Foundation grant will support the position for two years, after which the College will sustain the position through institutional resources and philanthropic investments.

"Trinity College is a valuable community partner in the effort to make certain all of our region's children have the opportunity to succeed," said Linda J. Kelly, president of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. "The grant will help to ensure that the College can continue to deepen and broaden its partnerships in urban education, and assist local students in their efforts to be college and career ready."

Noting that Trinity is "very grateful to the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for providing the funding," Associate Academic Dean Melanie Stein said, "Filling this new leadership position will ensure that partnerships between the College and local schools best serve the children of Hartford, as well as Trinity students and faculty. The director will ultimately optimize the College's efforts to invigorate and strengthen education throughout our community."

Currently, Trinity's urban programs are scattered throughout the College and overseen by different administrators and faculty members. The hiring will allow for greater coordination and optimal use of existing resources.

In the College's application to the Foundation, Trinity President James F. Jones, Jr., wrote, "Trinity is inextricably tied to its home city, and has placed initiatives to support students and teachers, improve educational outcomes, and reduce real or perceived barriers to higher education for Hartford students squarely within its missionWhile the College's work has had a positive impact thus far, an academic administrator - a single point of contact and resource for faculty, students, Hartford school administrators and teachers - is critical to our ability to maximize scale, scope and outcomes."

Jones also noted that Trinity and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving "have a long history of successful and transformational collaborations for the direct benefit of our community." Jones said the Foundation's seed investment will permit the College to fully leverage student and faculty resources and expertise in ways that enhance educational achievement in significant and measurable ways.